Three dimensional relief puzzle

ABSTRACT

A plurality of parallelepiped blocks having varying heights, planar sides and a curved upper surface are connected together by special pin and hole interlocks randomly spaced in predetermined locations to form a three dimensional puzzle with at least a curved upper surface. Two or more puzzles can be made by initially assembling the blocks into a polyhedron with six rectangular faces and sawing along a predetermined path to separate the polyhedron into individual puzzles.

This invention relates to three dimensional puzzles and more particularly to a multipart three dimensional relief puzzle comprising a plurality of separate parallelepiped blocks having varying heights which are assembled together into a finished form by matching 1. side surfaces, 2. randomly sized and spaced interlock means, and 3. curvatures of upper and lower surfaces.

Prior to the present invention various types of three-dimensional puzzles have been provided for educational and recreational purposes. One of these prior art puzzles incorporates a plurality of relatively thin rectilinear pieces equal in size which can be assembled together into a finished rectangular configuration using the upper surface contour of the various pieces as a guide. In another three dimensional puzzle a spherical assembly is produced by mating pieces identical in shape using surface texture as a guide. A superfluous piece of this prior art puzzle is properly excluded on the basis of having a different surface texture. A third three dimensional puzzle comprises a plurality of flat slices or parts having irregular peripheral shapes that can be vertically stacked in a predetermined manner to form a completed assembly. Another prior puzzle has identical parts which are assembled together in a linear manner by using cooperating pin and hole interlock means and by matching printed matter on the side faces of the parts.

While these prior art puzzles have added to the state of the art they generally have only one or two variables and are simple in nature and are only satisfactory for specific educational or training purposes or as an amusement device for children. The puzzle of this invention is unique as compared to the prior art in terms of design, assembly and manufacturing technique. This puzzle may be advantageously employed for a wide range of educational and training purposes, it is entertaining to adults and children, and in its completed form it is aesthetically pleasing. Generally the basic components of this invention comprise a plurality of parallelepiped blocks each usually having a height greater than the base dimension which may be assembled together to form a composite. The blocks are generally of the same cross sectional shape and in the preferred form are provided with flat faces disposed at right angles with respect to an adjacent interface. The faces of the various blocks are further provided with special pin and hole interlock means randomly spaced and randomly sized in a plurality of horizontal and vertical planes within the puzzle. In addition to congruent surface and pin and hole matching, the blocks of this invention have curved upper or curved upper and lower surfaces which must be matched with adjacent parts for proper puzzle solution.

The special pin and hole interlock means in the preferred embodiment of this invention are uniquely employed to inhibit assembly of a piece or a subassembly of pieces into the puzzle if such assembly would simultaneously involve two separate planes. This generally requires that the puzzle be assembled into subassemblies which are subsequently assembled together to form the composite. The pin and hole interlock means are preferably invisible when the puzzle is assembled so as not to detract from the aesthetic quality of the puzzle when completed. Also the spacing of the pin and hole interlock of each pair of blocks exhibits randomness for instructional purposes and being random these interlocks do not provide any clue as to how adjacent blocks are to be joined into the puzzle.

After being assembled, the upper surface or the upper and lower surfaces of the puzzle form predetermined curves which may be that of a sine wave, an ellipse, hyperbola, parabola, rotated straight line or other curved configuration. The assembled puzzle is a work of art for display but is ready for breakdown and reworking. With such curvatures the completed puzzle illustrates a physical embodiment of a geometric or a three dimensional mathematical function. In other words, at least one surface of the puzzle can be described by a mathematical equation so that a person can visualize and better understand the mathematical expression.

In a second form of the invention the parallelepiped blocks are secured together by vertically extending cylindrical pin and hole interlock means of differing height and diameter sizes and locations. In the second embodiment a piece or a subassembly of pieces is inserted vertically into the puzzle and can be simultaneously connected to blocks disposed at right angles to each other.

This invention further incorporates a new and improved method of manufacture of three dimensional puzzles. Initially a plurality of parallelepiped blocks are provided with pin and hole interlock means at predetermined locations and assembled into a polyhedron. After being assembled, a cut determined by the desired geometric surface is made to separate the polyhedron into two parts with identical surfaces. After cutting, the surfaces may be smoothed and finished as desired.

These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the embodiments of the invention split into two subassemblies;

FIG. 2 is a side view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of six of the basic components used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of four of the basic components of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a method of manufacture of this invention

Turning now in greater detail to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 two subassemblies 10 and 12 which form separate halves of a three dimensional relief puzzle 14. With the two subassemblies 10 and 12 joined together, the puzzle is generally block-like in formation bounded by planar sides 16, 18, 20, 22, a flat bottom surface 24 and a curved upper surface 26. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the upper surface is in the form of a sinusoid. However, this surface may have the curvature of an ellipse, a hyperbola, a rotating straight line curve or other curvature. Also, various curved surfaces may be employed instead of the planar sides and bottom surfaces. The puzzle 14 is comprised of a plurality of individual parallelepiped blocks each having inner side surfaces which are adapted to abut one another in a predetermined random manner to form the puzzle 14. As shown in FIG. 6, for example, blocks 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 have planar sides that closely match one another to provide side to side fits at their common interfaces. Thus block 30 has planar sides 42 and 44 which match the sides 46 and 48 of blocks 32 and 36 respectively. Block 32 has additional sides 50 and 52 which match the sides 54 and 56 of block 34 and 38 respectively. It will be appreciated that other associated pairs of blocks have similar interface matching. The basic components of the puzzle formed by the blocks are further matched and are secured together by special pin and hole interlock means. For example block 30 may be operatively connected to adjacent block 32 by cooperating pin and hole interlock 58 and 60. Cylindrical pin 58 projects from the side face 46 of block 32 and closely fits into cylindrical hole 60 in side face 40 of block 30. Block 32 is connected to block 34 by cylindrical pin 62 of block 32 projecting into hole 64 of block 34. In a similar manner block 36 is connected to block 30 by pin and hole interlock 66 and 68 and to block 38 by pin and hole interlock 70 and 72.

Preferably, various sized horizontally extending pin and holes are used for the interlocks and these interlocks are randomly spaced throughout the puzzle. For example, the pin 58 may be offset with respect to the side edges of the block 32 and have a small diameter to fit into a corresponding small diameter hole 60. Pin 62 may be centered and have a large diameter to fit into a corresponding large diameter hole 64. The random location, sizing and offset hole fitting of the interlock provided by the mathematical randomizing technique of this invention insures that there is no clue predicting subsequent spacing, direction or diameter of the interlock means of remaining individual pieces. In addition to pin and hole matching, the upper surfaces of adjacent blocks may have relationships which align to provide an additional clue as to their proper fit. For example, in FIG. 6 the curved upper surface 78 of block 30 aligns with the curved upper surface 80 of block 32 and surface 84 of block 36. Similarly surface 80 aligns with the curved upper surfaces 78, 86 and 82 of blocks 30, 38 and 34.

Using the congruent interfaces, the curved upper surfaces and the pin and hole interlocking means, a first row of blocks can be assembled together as shown in FIG. 3. After this row is assembled a second row of blocks such as shown in FIG. 2 can be assembled together and then assembled with the first row with the pin and hole interlock securing the rows together. With the pin and hole interlocks of the preferred embodiment disposed at right angles to each other, the simultaneous joining of subassemblies of the puzzle at right angular alignment is inhibited.

FIG. 8 illustrates a preferred method of manufacture of the puzzles of this invention. As shown equal sized parallelepiped blocks having previously fabricated pin and hole interlock means in predetermined random locations are joined to each other to form a polyhedron 90 as shown in FIG. 8. After being joined into a polyhedron scribe lines 92 or other indicia are placed on the side edges of the polyhedron and the polyhedron, held by suitable clamping and orientation means, is sawed or cut to form the curved surfaces. In the example shown three puzzles are being made; saw blade 94 has already cut off puzzle 98 and has now cut partially through the remainder of the polyhedron 90 in forming puzzle 14 as well as puzzle 102 which will have two curved surfaces. Puzzle 98 will be substantially identical to puzzle 14. The puzzle 102 intermediate the puzzles 14 and 98 will have two sinusoidal surfaces or other curvature which enhances appearance and increases difficulty of solution. After being sawed the puzzle's surfaces are finished in any suitable manner such as by sanding, polishing and oiling.

FIG. 7 is an alternative embodiment of the invention and each piece has vertically extending pin and hole interlock means for connecting the blocks of the puzzle together. For example, block 104 has pin 106 secured therein which fits into hole 108 of block 110. With this arrangement intersecting surfaces can be simultaneously fitted together.

It will be appreciated however that the pins and holes have a depth as well as a diameter match so that proper fitting requires the matching of all variables including the upper surface. The assembly of subassemblies is also different. Right angle assembly is no longer inhibited. Instead the junction of single pieces or subassemblies must be made in such a way that all surfaces of one of the subassemblies involve pins and all surfaces of the other subassembly involve holes. In this embodiment of the invention manufacturing of the puzzle is simplified in that only one vertical hole has to be drilled at the interface of two adjacent parts. Pegs or pins of proper diameter and length can be secured in one part of any drilled hole which does not include the center of the drilled hole and the projecting part will fit into the other part of the drilled hole which does include the center of the drilled hole.

Thus the circular wall of any hole extends around a major portion of the circular wall of the matching pin so that adjacent pieces are held closely and interlocked together when assembled. For example, puzzle piece 112 will be held tightly against piece 110 since the inner wall 114 of hole 116 extends around a major portion of the curved wall cylindrical pin 118 fastened to or formed as a part of puzzle piece 112. In this embodiment puzzle pieces must be taken apart by the relative vertical movement of the pieces since lateral separation of the pieces is inhibited by the interlocking pin and hole fit. FIG. 7 is drawn inverted to illustrate this pin and hole fitting and the curved or contoured surface is on the opposite side to the pin and hole connections.

In all embodiments of the puzzle the peripheral blocks of the puzzle form edge parts which surround the interior blocks or inner parts. The corner blocks have two planar side surfaces located in mutually perpendicular planes for registering with the planar surfaces of the edge parts.

While preferred embodiments and methods of this invention have been shown and described for purposes of illustrating the principles of this invention they are subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims: 

We claim:
 1. A three-dimensional relief puzzle comprising a plurality of puzzle pieces which are required to be initially assembled and fastened into a plurality of rows and subsequently assembled and fastened by rows into a composite having a rectilinear periphery, said puzzle pieces having substantially identical cross sectional areas and having varying heights substantially greater than the widths thereof, said puzzle pieces having planar side faces which are adapted to mate with each other in a predetermined manner to collectively form said composite, interlock means of varying sizes randomly disposed at predetermined varying heights in said side faces of said pieces except said faces which form peripheral surfaces of said composite, for securing said puzzle pieces to each other in said predetermined manner, said interlock means comprising projection means of varying size extending from the side faces of predetermined pieces of said puzzle and corresponding openings for close mating engagement with said projection means when said pieces are assembled into said rows and subsequently into said composite, said interlock means being thus disposed at a plurality of different heights throughout said composite, said puzzle pieces when assembled into said composite forming a planar lower surface and a curved upper surface describing a physical embodiment of a regular three-dimensional mathematical function.
 2. The relief puzzle defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock means comprise cylindrical pin means projecting horizontally from predetermined side faces of said pieces into corresponding cylindrical hole means formed in other predetermined side faces of said pieces.
 3. The relief puzzle defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock means comprise cylindrical pin means projecting horizontally from predetermined side faces of said pieces into corresponding cylindrical hole means formed in other predetermined side faces of said pieces, a first group of said pin and hole means having a diameter different from a second group of said pin and hole means, said pin and hole means being randomly spaced throughout said puzzle so that the location of any one of said pin and hole means does not give a clue as to the location of any other of said pin and hole means. 